Purse seining method and apparatus



Dec. 22, 1964 R. A. JAMES 3,161,980

PURSE SEINING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed June 3, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. ,eup A JAMES nrroeNEVS Dec. 22, 1964 R. A. JAMES PURSE SEINING METHOD AND APPARATUS Dec. 22, 1964 R. A. JAMES PURSE SEINING METHOD AND APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 3, 1965 INVENTOR. kuor A. JAMFS United States Patent T 53161386 PURSE SEENING METHGD AND APPARATUS Rudy A. James, Snohomish County, Wash. (Rte. 3, Box 557, Everett, Wash.) Filed Tune 3, 1963, Ser. No. 285,005 Claims. (Cl. 43-45) The present invention relates to purse seining. It involves a new method whereby the closing and hauling of the net proceed simultaneously, whereby when the purse line has been drawn in to complete closure at the bottom of the net, the net is to a very considerable degree already hauled in and deposited on deck. Completion of the hauling and brailing of the net requires but a relatively short time thereafter, and the entire operation is completed in less time than by the present method. As a result a number of additional sets can be made in a day, and the catch is quite likely to be appreciably larger for any given period of time, as compared to current methods. Moreover, the method is carried out with the aid of the usufl power block, and is facilitated by the use of a powered roller or rollers that assist in the closing of the purse line, hence the larger catch can be handled without additional crew mem ers, and with certainly no greater effort on the part of the crew than heretofore, if indeed it requires that much effort. The method of this invention operates with less danger to crew members than before.

In addition this invention includes novel apparatus for use in closing the purse line while at the same time permitting hauling in of the lead line, cork line, and netting, passing the bridles and the purse line rings whereby the purse line is suspended beneath the lead line, through the powered rollers without obstruction. Moreover, such apparatus is in a form such that it can be used at, and shifted for use between, either the starboard or the port rail.

The invention is shown in detail in the accompanying drawings, and will be more fully understood as it is described in a typical operation and form hereinafter, and the principles which distinguish it will be set forth in the claims.

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the seiner, and the ends of the net connected thereto, at the start of the hauling operation; FIGURE 2 is alike view, at a later stage; and FIGURE 3 is a like view at the stage where the purse line has closed the bottom of the net, and brailing will shortly begin.

FIGURE 4 is an isometric view of the apparatus of this invention, in use, at a stage corresponding to FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view, from aft, of the apparatus in use, at the starboard rail.

FIGURE 6 is an elevational view, partly broken away, of the apparatus, viewed from the outboard end.

Ordinarily in purse seining, after the net has been set, and the two ends thereof are secured at a rail of the seiner, the first operation is to draw in the purse line until the net is fully closed at its bottom. The purse line is reeved through rings hung by bridles at intervals along the lead line, and unless the purse line is thus hauled. in fully as the first operation, the net hangs open at the bottom and will allow escape downwardly of surrounded fish. After the purse is closed the net itself is hauled aboard, usually by use of a power block on a boom, with the cork line, netting, and lead line running over the power block, until the net is made small enough and is brought close enough to the seiner that it can be brailed. The bridles and rings, in this second operation, will run over the power block. Moreover, if the after end of the net with its cork line and lead line were to be pulled directly over and through the power block, it would all fidfilfidfl Patented Dec. 22, 1964 come over the side in a string well aft of the point where the forward end is secured amidship, and a wide gap would be left between the forward and after parts of the net, through which the fish could escape. The two-step operation takes time, and may require, in a typical case, some forty minutes, before brailing can begin. Until the hauling in of the net and its brailing are completed, no further set of the net can be made. It follows that the number of sets possible in a day is rather limited. In contrast, by the method of this invention the time required to haul in the net, under similar circumstances, is reduced to about twenty minutes. A rather large number of sets become possible in a day, with a larger total catch.

A typical purse seiner is illustrated at 9, wtih its house forward and a boom 94 extending aft from the mast 91 over the relatively open after deck 92, and supporting the usual power block 93. The set is made in the usual way, by securing the forward end of the cork line at 98 at the rail, amidship, and the purse line 1 and lead line 81 secured more or less in the same vicinity. The net 3, hanging from the cork line 80, is arranged in a large circle or loop, and its after end is brough to the same rail, to close the circle. The purse line is reeved through large rings 82 hanging by bridles 83 from the lead line 81, at spacings of perhaps two fathoms. The after end of the purse line is brought on board, and since it is open at the bottom it must first be pursed, according to prior practice, and closed there, to prevent downward escape of surrounded fish. The purse lines ends accordingly are first hauled in until the net is fully closed at the bottom,

and is secured. Next the after end of the cork line, net,

and lead line are engaged with the power block, together with the purse line, and hauled in thereby and deposited on the deck 92, until the nets circle is small enough that it can be brailed.

According to this invention, after the circle of the net is completed the after end of the purse line 1 is engaged with powered sheaves, a suitable type whereof is described more fully hereinafter, and the forward end of the purse line is released, and led to a powered drum or niggerhead at 94. In addition the after end of the cork line Sll, lead line 81, and the netting 8, with this end of the purse line, are led directly to and over the power block 93, and hauling of the after end of the net commences simultaneously with hauling in of both ends of the purse line 1. Since the netting 3, cork line 80, and lead line 81 run almost directly over the rail to the power block 93, well towards the stern, but the after end of the purse line 1 runs to the powered sheaves, located at the rail amidship, the netting is distended fore and aft, and as it comes upwardly to the rail it forms an almost vertical barrier to escape of fish beneath the seiner. There is no gap left between the forward and the after portions of the net. The hauling of the after end of the purse line proceeds at more or less the same rate as the net, cork line, and lead line, and it runs over the power block with the same. However, since the forward end of the purse line is also hauled in amidship at the same time, by the niggerhead 94 or other powered sheave, but not any part of the forward end of the net, the purse lines outboard loop is closed down much more rapidly than the loop of the net and the cork line. This draws the netting inwardly, and it forms a sumcient bottom, beneath the cork line circle where most fish tend to congregate, that such fish, if they attempt to escape below the net, encounter the inwardly closing bottom of the net, find their escape blocked, and gather in the water closely inside the cork line. The net, ready to begin closing, is shown in FIG- URE 1, and the closing of the net is illustrated in FIG- URE 2. Eventually the purse line is drawn completely closed, and the circle of the net is by then small enough sucrose that it can be brailed, in the usual manner. This condition, although only approximately, is shown in FIG- URE 3.

It will be clear that one object of hauling the after end of the purse line amidship, adjacent the point where the forward end of the net is secured, is to close any gap by distending the netting between the purse line where it comes in over the side, and the cork line that comes over the side to the power block, well aft of the amidship point. The rings 82, however, constitute obstacles to hauling in the purse line, since they must come in with the net. In particular the purse line cannot be reeved through any closed block or over closed sheaves. Accordingly, mechanism such as that shown in FIGURES 4 to 6 is highly advantageous in carrying out the method, although other suitable mechanism might be used, or this could even be done by hand, although with considerable effort. This mechanism comprises three powered sheaves 21, 22., and 23, supported in a frame or standard 2, with a guide sheave 28a or 2dr; cooperating with one such powered sheave, as the guide sheave Zila cooperates with the powered sheave 23 in FIGURES 4 and 5. All these sheaves are open, that is, they are supported only adjacent the frame 2, and have no support at their ends outwardly of the frame.

The purse line 1 is passed over the outbomd sheave, 21 in this instance, under the sheave 22, and over the sheave 23, then beneath the guide sheave a. The sheaves 21, 22, and 23 are powered to rotate at the same rate, or at least one thereof is powered, as by the hydraulic motor 25 and drive gears 26 and 27 meshed with driven gears 21a, 22a, and 23a on the shafts of the respective sheaves. A crew member (31 can be employed to haul on the after end of the purse line 1, and so to keep it taut upon the sheaves. Alternatively, the purse line might be pinched between the sheave 2 3 and a cooperating wheel, and the services of crew member Cl would not be needed, except to draw slack initially in the purse line.

To start, the yoke or bridle 11 (FIGURE 1) which joins the after ends of the purse line and cork line is engaged by a fall line 3 over the power block, and hauling commences. The purse lines after end is hauled first by the sheaves 21, 22, 23, until some slack is hauled by the crew member C1, and then the purse line passes over the power block. At the same time the cork line, lead line, and netting are hauled by and over the power block, to which they run directly over the side, and aft of amidship. As each succeeding bridle 33 and ring 82 arrives at the sheaves 21, 22, 23, and Zila it is pulled laterally aft by the net until the bridles are wholly outside the sheaves, and each ring passes about each such sheave, but is outside the same; see FIGURE 4. Thus they are no obstacle to such a hauling operation, and promptly pass over the power block with their bridle and that part of the net with which they are associated, and are deposited on deck. Nevertheless the netting is distended fore and aft, and allows no appreciable gap for possible escape of fish.

Simultaneously with the above, the forward end of the purse line 1 is passed about the niggerhead 94, is hauled in by a crew member C2, and coiled on deck. The purse line, being hauled in simultaneously at its two ends, closes the purse much more rapidly than the circle of the net is closed, and blocks escape of fish downwardly from the progressively smaller but slower closing circle or the cork line 80, as in FIGURE 2, until the purse is completely closed, as in FIGURE 3. Since the purse line only is hauled in at its forward end, there are no rings that must be accommodated, as there are at the afterend where the net is hauled s'nnultaneously with the after end of the purse line.

Fairleads, guide rollers and the like will be helpful, and some are shown. A large open block 4, hung conveniently from the frame 2, leads the after end of the purse line 1 out of the water and about a vertical guide roller 5a (or 5b under other circumstances), and thence about powered sheave 21. Being open, the block 4 will pass the rings 82 without obstruction. A second large block 44 which can be closed since it need not pass any rings, guides the forward end of the purse line 1 to the niggerhead 94.

Sheaves 26m and 2%, and sheaves 21, 22, 23 if desired, may be rubber surfaced to maintain a good grip on the line 1. The sheaves Zila and 2% are not essential, but it used are preferably yieldably mounted for movement towards and from the sheaves 21 and 23, respectively, with which they cooperate. To this end both sheaves 20a and 2% are shown mounted upon the opposite ends of a lever 23, pivoted intermediate its ends in frame 2, and centered by springs 25a.

The mechanism is arranged for use either at the starboard rail, as shown, or at the port rail. t is for this reason that two guide sheaves 26a and 23b, and two guide rollers 5a and 5b, are provided. The frame 2 can be lifted, by the eye 29 from a boom-supported hook, and set down at either rail of the seiner. Any convenient means to secure it in position can be employed. For example, two upstanding fingers 96 can be fixed strongly at each such location, and the frame 2 can be set down with sockets receiving the fingers.

The hydraulic motor 25, or any equivalent thereof, would be reversible, and controllable as to speed. A control installation is shown at 2551. Rotation of the niggerhead 94- would also be controllable, or hauling in there could be controlled by slipping the line by the crew member C2.

While the above description refers to the forward or after ends of lines, etc., and the arrangement described is preferred, it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that what has been described as the after end might, in a particular case, become the forward end, and the forward end in such case would be the after end. The claims will refer to parts oriented as described above, but the language is to be taken as representative and not restrictive, in the event the orientation must be reversed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A purse net seining method which comprises closing a net in the form of a circle, after the circle of the net, provided with a cork line, lead line and purse line has been closed by bringing its two ends together alongside a seiner, taking aboard the seiner both the forward and the after ends of the purse line, hauling in the after end of the net, including its cork line, its lead line, and its purse line, and simultaneously hauling in the forward end of the purse line, to close the circle of the purse line more rapidly than the circle of the cork line is closed.

2. A purse net seining method which comprises preliminarily closing the circle of the net, provided with a cork line, lead line and purse line, at the rail of a seiner, as the net hangs from its cork line, and then taking on boardthe forward and the after ends of the purse line, and finally hauling in the after end of the net, including its cork line, lead line and purse line, all at a given rate,

7 while simultaneously hauling in the forward end of the purse line.

3. A purse seining method as in claim 2, wherein the after end of the purse line is hauled in amidship, adjacent the forward end of the net, and the after end of the net and its cork line are hauled aboard at a point well aft of the amidship point where the purse line is hauled in, to distend the net fore and aft, as well as vertically, between the two such points.

4. A purse net seining method for a seiner equipped with a power block, which comprises preliminarily closing the circle of the net, provided with a cork line, lead line and purse line at the rail of the seiner, as the net hangs from its cork line, taking on board the forward and the after ends of the purse line, passing the respective ends of the purse line about separate first and second powered sheaves, passing the after end of the net, including its cork line, lead line, and that portion of the after end of the purse line that is beyond its first powered sheave, directly over the power block, and hauling all the same thereby, and simultaneously hauling the forward end of the purse line by the second powered sheave.

5. A purse net seining method for a seiner equipped with a power block suspended adjacent the stern, which comprises securing the forward end of the net, provided with a cork line, lead line and purse line at the rail amidship, setting the net in a circle, hanging from its cork line, and bringing its after end to the rail amidship, taking on board, amidship, the forward and the after ends of its purse line, and taking on board, aft of amidship, the after end of the net and its cork line and lead liue, passing the after end of the purse line, while still reeved through rings bridied to the lead line, about powered sheaves at the rail amidship, passing the after end of the net, its cork line, and its lead line directly over the power block, to distend the net fore and aft between its purse line as it runs over such powered sheaves, and the cork line aft thereof, passing the free after end of the purse line, beyond the powered sheaves, also over the power block, and hauling the same in thereby with the net and its other lines, and hauling in the forward end of the purse line simultaneously with hauling of the after end of the net and its lines by the power block.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 604,312 Gaflney May 17, 1898 754,833 Albee Mar. 15, 1904 1,464,623 Lybeck Aug. 14, 1923 3,069,798 Puretic Dec. 25, 1962 3,091,880 Puretic June 4, 1963 

5. A PURSE NET SEINING METHOD FOR A SEINER EQUIPPED WITH A POWER BLOCK SUSPENDED ADJACENT THE STERN, WHICH COMPRISES SECURING THE FORWARD END OF THE NET, PROVIDED WITH A CORK LINE, LEAD LINE AND PURSE LINE AT THE RAIL AMIDSHIP, SETTING THE NET IN A CIRCLE, HANGING FROM ITS CORK LINE, AND BRINGING ITS AFTER END TO THE RAIL AMIDSHIP, TAKING ON BOARD, AMIDSHIP, THE FORWARD AND THE AFTER ENDS OF ITS PURSE LINE, AND TAKING ON BOARD, AFT OF AMIDSHIP, THE AFTER END OF THE NET AND ITS CORK LINE AND LEAD LINE, PASSING THE AFTER END OF THE PURSE LINE, WHILE STILL REEVED THROUGH RINGS BRIDLED TO THE LEAD LINE, ABOUT POWERED SHEAVES AT THE RAIL AMIDSHIP, PASSING THE AFTER END OF THE NET, ITS CORK LINE, AND ITS LEAD LINE DIRECTLY OVER THE POWER 